The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish (Apolemichthys xanthurus) is a unique beauty species and does not usually get very large, but on the other hand it’s not a very resistant animal.
The species is found in the Western Indian Ocean, which includes Mauritius Islands, Maldives (found in deeper waters here), Sri Lanka, and off the east India coast. It inhabits areas with abundant soft coral growth at depths ranging from 5 – 35 meters. Interestingly, that fish inhabit shallower waters are usually seen alone, while those found in deeper waters are seen in pairs.
Regarding the colors, the adult fish has a pale gray or light brown on the main part of his body, with larger black scales from the middle to the dorsal area. From the middle of his body to the belly, the scales are white. The head is black but with a clear tip and has two yellow spots on either side of it. The fins are shades of white, but the tail fin is a very striking bright yellow.
Overall, the Indian Yellowtail Angelfish aren’t that difficult to keep in fish tank, although they aren’t very hardy. At first, they are usually quite reserved, but once acclimated to the environment in captivity, they will be able to live for many years. Try to acquire young fish (between 4 – 7 centimeters) to ensure you are successful in breeding.
Technical Details
Name: Indian Yellowtail Angelfish, Smoke Angelfish, Cream Angelfish, Yellowtail Black Angelfish;
Scientific Name: Apolemichthys xanthurus (Bennett, 1833);
Family: Pomacanthidae;
Species Origin: Western Indian Ocean (Mauritius Island, India and Sri Lanka);
Length: Up to 5,9 inches;
Life Span: 10 years; although it’s not known for sure how long this particular angelfish lives, it’s known that most angelfish live about 10 – 20 years in fish tanks;
Care Level: Easy;
Water Parameters
pH: Maintain the pH of the water between 8.0 – 8.4;
Water Hardness: No information;
Temperature: Must be kept between 22 – 27°C;
Care
Food
Omnivorous. In the wild, they are primarily herbivores, but they also feed on spongy and tunicate materials, as well as some protein-rich foods. The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish eat only small amounts of copepods and other meaty items found in the algae they eat, so in tanks they should be fed foods rich in plant matter.
You can provide flake foods, herbivorous fish preparations, mysis shrimp and chopped seafood.
There are excellent foods for this type of fish. Feed them several times a day to supplement the algae that will be eating from the live rocks in the tank.
Temperament / Behavior
The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish is considered a very peaceful fish, but it’s not the best choice for reef tanks. Some invertebrates such as shrimp and larger crabs are safe, but corals can be eaten by them. Even when they are still young fish, they tend to nibble on any type of coral.
Once it’s acclimated to the captive environment, you can place it with others of its own kind, especially if you’re thinking of breeding a pair. Avoid putting them together if the tank is smaller than 146 gallons.
See Also:
Tank Mates
The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish lives well in large community tanks. They only become aggressive towards their own species and other fish if kept in small tanks. You can mix them with gobbies, wrasses, as well as larger crabs and shrimp.
When they reach adulthood, you can add them with more aggressive Pomacanthus species and smaller Holacanthus species.
Breeding / Mating
The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish lives well in large community tanks. They only become aggressive towards their own species and other fish if kept in small tanks. You can mix them with gobbies, wrasses, as well as larger crabs and shrimp.
When they reach adulthood, you can add them with more aggressive Pomacanthus species and smaller Holacanthus species.
There are still no reports of reproduction of these fish in tanks. However, they are known to dance and climb up the water column, releasing their eggs and sperm close to the surface. Spawning begins before sunset with the females extending all their fins while swimming alongside the male.
The male will go under the female and caress her belly, then drop down about 6 – 10 centimeters. Then the female will turn onto her side and both will release a white gametes cloud containing sperm and eggs. Both males and females can mate with several others in the same night.
See Also:
Fish Tank Size
The fish tank needs to have at least 70 gallons for a single fish or 140 gallons for a couple.
The Indian Yellowtail Angelfish adapts easily to care in captivity. They do well in environments with lots of live rocks and places to hide, but the tank should also contain open areas so they can swim freely.
Remember that they love to graze and feed on algae, so don’t forget to add a considerable number of live rocks to the tank.
Lighting should be moderate, as it should support algae growth.
Finally, regarding filtering, they don’t have specific requirements. So, any type of filtering, whether slow or fast flow, will suffice.
References
Allen, G.R., 1985. Butterfly and angelfishes of the world. Vol. 2. 3rd edit. in English. Mergus Publishers, Melle, Germany. (Ref. 4858)
